Wiwaxmouthe is the capital of Wiwaxia. The city proper has 1.29 million residents and the metro area is 2.1 million. It is the largest city in Wiwaxia, with extensive transportation links including two major train stations, the Wiwax Pargiter International Airport and major highways W301, W331, W341 and R21. Wiwaxmouthe is the seat of government, with both Parliament and the royal palace of Excelsior. It is also home to the country's primary naval base, the Royal Admiralty.

History

The first settlements at the mouth of the RIver Wiwax date from c. 270. Archeologists have found axe heads and the remains of fires that predate this, but the foundations of several large shelters from c. 270-320 were found during excavations made in the cleanup of contamination on Cog Island in 1977 are acknowledged to be the first permanent settlements in the area.

The first recorded history is of the Abbey of St. Kenelm and the little village that grew up around it, founded c. 1530 originally by Kalmish monks. However, it wasn't until more than a century later when the Ingerish gained a permanent foothold that construction began on the LIttle Mother Palace, which was the true beginning of the city of Wiwaxmouthe. Built for the Ingerish Governor between 1637-1638, the spot for the palace was chosen for its strategic position. Later governors reinforced the palace and also had Wiwax Greatkeep built on the other side of the river, as well as the Great Church. With the safety that the Little Mother Palace and the GreatKeep provided, the village that had sprung up around the palace became a town, expanding towards St. Kenelm Abbey.

By 1660, the city had grown to some 1,000 inhabitants and expanded northeast toward the coast, as well as across the River Wiwax into Mather Parish and up toward Wiwax Greatkeep. The hospital of St. Vipsania, which originally included a poorhouse as well, was built in 1662 under the sponsorship of Count Luddis of Crammer.

Following a dip in population from the Darmer Fever outbreaks in 1701-1703, when the indigenous Edicarian population was decimated, the next great expansion didn't come until 1722 with the coronation of Queen Eglantine I. During her reign and the reign of her daughter, Queen Margalin, the Excelsior district, with its huge avenues of elegant mansions and formal parks, was laid out. The Little Mother Palace was seen as completely outdated, and construction began on the Excelsior Palace in 1747. The huge palace wasn't finished until 10 years after the death of Queen Eglantine in 1761. The formal gardens behind the palace are still a popular meeting spot for Wiwaxmuthians and tourists alike. The Golden Theater, the Excelsior Opera, the Excelsior Market, the church of St. Hazel by the Sea as well as the Silk Hill District all date from this time.

By 1800, the city had grown in population to over 50,000, with new neighborhoods like Pharoah Square growing up around the newly established Royal Wiwax Bank. The Royal Admiralty also moved just outside the city at this time and over the next decades, the city expanded out towards both the Admiralty and Royal Wiwax University.

In 1826, the first factory in Wiwaxia, the Royal Wiwax Distillery, received a charter from the crown and was built in the new district of Spirit Yards. Only two years later, a number of factories had sprung up and in 1829, the first bricks were laid for a factory on Cog Island. The mid-1800's saw the city expand even further as the population grew to 200,000, and the establishment of tramlines and two major railway stations helped.

The city reached the 500,000 mark in 1912, and by 1950 the metropolitan area stood at 1 million residents.

Over the last 50 years, the city has expanded primarily to the North and Northwest; much of the growth has been in the suburbs.

Transportation

The first tramline - it ran from Clinch Street down to the Great South Station, which at that time was known as the Lamb Street Station and in a much smaller building - came in 1837. Since then, the city has expanded with a network of tramlines, subway, commuter trains as well as a network of highways, two major train terminals and Wiwaxia's largest international airport.

Wiwaxmouthe Subway Map

Metropolitan Transportation

Wiwaxmouthe's oldest public transportation are the four tram lines - the Bucksandoes Line and the Prosper Street Line, which run through the central eastern neighborhoods of the city, including Excelsior, Silk HIll as well as along the Little Esplanade; and the Opabinia Station Line, which runs from the Great South Station northwest through the Old Town and across the river north through Mather and Fletcher Parishes before ending at Obapinia Station; and the Greatkeep Line, which branches off from the Opabinia Station Line at the river and runs past St. Vipsania and ends at the Greatkeep. An extensive bus system supplements the tram lines, with major hubs at Great South Station, Mulberry Green and Pillbox Park.

The Wiwaxmouthe City Subway has 76 stations and consists of five lines: the Green Line running primarily through the north end of the east side of the city; the Red Line running from the West Forest Cemetery through the central section of the east side of the city up to Pikeaway; the Blue Line running from south in Newtown on the east side of the city, through the Old Town and up to Grand Esplanade Circle in the northwest; the Yellow Line, which runs from the Wildhare Institute along the river up past the Wiwax Garrison through the northeast ending at the Great Dunes railway station; and the Pink Line, the shortest and only line strictly north of the river, which runs from the Tarry Square Railway Station, through the Opabinia Station and ends at Trimble Square. Major hubs include the Great South Station and Trimble Station.

The Great South Station serves the southern and eastern suburbs of the city with commuter train lines running to Gertrude Wood, Matchless, Raikes and the beach towns east of the city, from East Navy through Stranleigh Beach and down to Dittisham. The Opabinia Station provides commuter train lines that serve the Royal Institutes of Health, Fabricant and Deyre, Redfields, Great Dune Beach, Gin Cove and Eardsley, as well as the Airport Express which provides service non-stop to Wiwax-Pargiter International Airport.

Greater Wiwaxmouthe also has ferry service, with the Eastbeach Ferry route between the Excelsior Ferry Station to Dittisham, with points in between including the Royal Admiralty and Stranleigh Beach. The Eardsley Ferry Line goes to Eardsley with points in between including Gin Cove and Great Dune.

Airport

The Wiwax-Pargiter International Airport, with its five runways, is the busiest airport in Wiwaxia, providing intercontinental flights to virtually all major cities in the world. The airport is 10 kilometers outside the city.

Highways

Wiwaxmouthe is the central point for most of Wiwaxia's highways. The R21 Greatbelt Highway rings the city and provides connections to all other major highways. To the North, the W341 Verney-Wiwax Freeway goes to Verney; the W301 Pargiter Expressway becomes the Marella Highway after Pargiter. The westbound W331 Loaves and Fishes Expressway goes to Willmore, Tilney and Tilneyport. To the south, the W321 Lydgate-Wiwax Freeway and the W351 Fanshawe Parkway run together for 35 kilometers before branching off in different directions. To the east, the W311 Great Constance-Wiwax Highway runs along the east coast, passing by LIttle Derwent Bay and Dilke Cove before continuing south to the port of Constance-Reid.

Parks

Wiwaxmouthe is home to many parks, squares and commons that are well-used by Wiwaxmuthians. Among the most well-known are Bucksandoes Wood with its pond and numerous paths, at the end of the Little Esplanade by the Great Library. Behind the Excelsior Palace are the Excelsior Gardens, with their formal plantings and allées of trees, the gardens are popular with tourists and locals alike. The Wiwaxmouthe Zoological Park, in the southeast corner of the city, is considered the best zoo in Wiwaxia. Other popular parks include St. Kenelm's Fields by St. Kenelm's Abbey; Pine Park in the northwest Opabinia neighbourhood; Wildhare Park, with the Wildhare Institute to the east; Mather Orchard; the Parley Field, just north of Wiwax Greatkeep and the Wiwax Garrison; and the parks of the three-kilometer long Grand Promenade, ending in the Grand Promenade Circus.

Culture

Wiwaxmouthe is the cultural capital of Wiwaxia, with its theatres, concert halls and art galleries.

Excelsior Opera interior.

Music

Wiwaxia is known above all for its world-class classical musicians and singers, not to mention its top-notch musical education. Wiwaxmouthe boasts several important musical venues. The Excelsior Opera has, since its opening in 1789, been the scene for the premieres of many important operas, including most famous of all, Reynold's The Dream of Winter. The Wiwax Philharmonic is renowned for its brilliant brass section - its home is the Grand Odea Philharmonica concert hall, located on the Little Esplanade on the east side of Wiwaxmouthe. Just as famous is the Orchestra of the Royal Music Society, which has its own concert hall in north Wiwaxmouthe on the Grand Promenade.

Theater

Completed in 1787, the Royal Golden Theater is renowned for staging classics, like Alther's The Battle Lost. The Marshstrand Theater, in north Wiwaxmouthe, is known for its wide range of experimental pieces, including the annual Marshstrand Competition for New Plays, with winning entries staged later in the year.

Art

Wiwaxmouthe is home to both the National Gallery of Art and the Royal Portrait Gallery.

Education

Wiwaxmouthe is home to a number of colleges and universities that are among the best in Wiwaxia. The oldest is Royal Wiwax University, founded in 1672, and famed for its College of Philosophy; many important Wiwaxians are graduates, including current Prime Minister Jane Strimp. Wiwaxmouthe has two of the country's top medical schools: The Wildhare Institute, founded in 1843, and the Royal Institutes of Health, Wiwaxia's premier research institution. The Conservatory of the Royal Music Society is among the top music schools in the world - many say it is No. 1. The Royal Institute of Technology and Industry is Wiwaxia's premier engineering school.

Sports

Wiwaxmouthe Arena is home to its two major professional sports teams: WiwaxM CFC football team and the Silverwolves WBA baseball team. The Royal Tennis Club in north Wiwaxmouthe is home to the Wiwax Grand Open. The sports teams of Royal Wiwax University, the Wiwax Whippets, also have many fans in the city as well as former graduates from all over Wiwaxia.

Important Buildings

Wiwaxmouthe boasts a wide range of buildings of architectural and historical importance.

Churches and Religious Structures

St. Kenelm's Abbey, which predates the city of Wiwaxmouthe, was built c. 1530; the abbey cloister, of later construction, is of particular note. Wiwaxmouthe's cathedral, the Great Church, dates from c. 1640 and is famed for its reredos and various side chapels, including the stunning Queen Arabel chapel with its gilded tracery. The Bathsheba Church of Royal Wiwax University, from 1674, is also known for its stained glass and delicate columns. The Mather and Fletcher Parish churches are most notable for their ages, from 1659 and 1690 respectively. Other notable churches include St. Ranulpha's (1645) St. Hazel by the Sea (1756) and the Esplanade Basilica (1832).

Castles and Palaces

The Little Mother Palace, completed c. 1625, was built for the Ingerish Governor and marked the establishment of Wiwaxmouthe. It became the first residence of the royal family until the completion of the Excelsior Palace in 1761.

Excelsior Palace, in late Baroque style, was built to show off the strength and taste of the Queens of Wiwaxia. The elaborate formal Excelsior Gardens (opened to the public in 1821) are as impressive as the palace itself. The coronation room, Royal Chapel and a select few banqueting rooms, salons and bedrooms can be seen on daily tours of the castle.

Excelsior Palace c. 1878

Some 15 kilometres southwest of the city is Matchless, built in 1784 as a summer home for Queen Lollia II as a complement to the Excelsior Palace. Matchless, surrounded by woods and formal gardens, built in a baroque style even more ornate than its city sister, was for a time the primary residence of the royal family, from 1791-1826. The old throne room and numerous galleries filled with art and historic furnishings, are open to the public, as are part of the formal gardens. The wood itself is not, however.

Public Buildings

The Great South Railway Station is an example of the power of the industrial age, built to mimic the cathedrals of earlier times, the grand Main Waiting Room still retains its elegance and frescoed ceiling depicting popular life in the city c. 1859, when the station was built. The Grand Odea Philharmonica on the Little Esplanade, from 1818, is famed not just for its decor but for its excellent acoustics. The reading rooms of the Great Library, also on the LIttle Esplanade, are also of note. More of historic than architectural importance are the Great House and Lesser House of Parliament, finished in 1862 when Parliament moved from temporary rooms in the Little Mother Palace. No longer used for building ships, the Royal Shipyards, with its lighthouse and impressive stone vaulting from c. 1630, are now open to the public.

Royal Shipyards with Lighthouse.

Private Buildings

The Excelsior district is famed for its mansions, built by the nobility and upper classes - in particular the area around Excelsior Bow, Garden Road, Almond, Coin and Masque Streets. Notable mansions are the Latina Embassy on Queen Street and the Zylanda Embassy on The Moon Street.